Patient Soul
by Irish Stone
Summary: Once a soul has found it's mate. It truly doesn't mind waiting a lifetime for the soul to finally accept it. As Caroline is finding out as she is waiting for Max to truly feel safe and secure to accept her love.
1. Not Permanent

The creak of the floor outside your closed bedroom door was the first hint on what was coming. Sighing deeply and tightly squeezing your extremely tired eyes tighter. Another creak just outside your door forced you to relax your eyes. Your breath was light as your bedroom door ever so slowly creaked open. You'll have to put WD 40 on the hidges in the morning. The sound is very irritating. Especially when you are _trying_ to get some sleep.

You try to drift off to sleep before the whisper could hit your ears. If you could just slip off to sleep then you wouldn't have to deal with what was becoming a permanent thing in your life. A thing that you truly didn't want to become permanent.

 _This_ can't be permanent. You fully knew this. _She_ can't be permanent. You _won't_ allow her to be. You will fight her at every single turn.

You will protect her at all cost. Once she gets back on her feet, and ready to leave - you will encourage her ... then you will never see her again.

That's why she can't be permanent. She's not meant to be.

"Max." The whisper that you knew finally came.

You willed your limbs to remain still. You won't give in tonight. This is the stand that you need to make so this won't be permanent.

"Max." She whispered again.

You will _not_ make this permanent.

"Please Max." She softly begs you.

You willed yourself to remain firm in denying her this. If you could remain strong now ... then you will remain strong tomorrow. Through all the tomorrows until she finally accepts the way things _need_ to be. You need to remain strong for her even more then yourself.

"Please Max." She begs with tears in her voice.

You felt your body respond. You fought with everything in your power to remain strong and firm. Your eyes slide open and her eyes drew you in. She was lost. She was more lost in this moment then you have ever seen her.

You couldn't leave her feeling all alone in this cruel world. You lift the covers and scoot over. She all but slams in next to you.

She rests her head on your shoulder. Her arm is resting against your side, and against your waist. You feel her warm breath against your cheek and neck.

"Thank you." Her warm breath close in your ear.

You tighten your hold on her.

She snuggles into you.

You lean into her.

She nuzzles your neck.

Your heart skips.

She falls asleep against you.

You realize that this is permanent.

 **Authors Note:** _This will be a series of one shots that connect into one huge story line._ _Most will be in Max and Caroline's point of view. But if I think the story calls for it the others will have their point of view tossed in. This takes place when the girls have lived with one another for two years._


	2. You Are My Soul

She thinks that you don't know what she desperately is trying to do. She thinks that she can keep that from you.

It still saddens you to your very core that she still feels this way. That she still feels so alone in this world. That she was always meant to be alone.

You knew that you were always meant to meet this amazing soul. That you were meant to belong to this soul.

You gently brush a strand of hair from her cheek. Even in sleep she holds herself so firmly together. She doesn't allow herself to relax in order to get even a decent amount of sleep.

You knew her so well. Even with her fighting you tooth and nail every single step. You knew her. You knew her from the time you tased her when she caught you sleeping on the subway. When she freely offered to protect you. She couldn't hide herself from you. Even through she desperately tries too.

Your fingers lightly trace her cheek line down to her jaw line. She softly sighs at your touch. If only she would allow this when she was awake.

"I'm _never_ leaving you Max Black. Even in death I will never _willing_ leave you." You whisper in her ear.

Her brows crease and she moans painfully. She turns around, and crawls into herself. You hide your whimper as you wrap your body around hers. Pulling her tightly against yourself.

Her body begins to shake deeply. You tighten your hold on her. Being ever careful of pouring your love into your touch; so she would know your tight and firm touch was sheer love; and not cruel. You want her to feel safe in your arms.

You softly begin to sing the lullybye that daddy always sang you to sleep. All the way through your teen years.

Her body ever slowly relaxed.

"I will always love you, Max." You whisper in her ear. Hoping that her soul catches your words; and holds them tightly. "You are my soul." You whisper as you felt your eyes glide shut.


	3. I Will Always Have You

"You know you really can't make a habit of this. That bed in the wall was built for a _reason_. Not to have over night guests " You grumbled as you got out of _your_ bed.

She sighs deeply as she simply stares at you.

"I mean it Caroline." Your forceful voice spoke in the tension.

"I won't give up." Her soft whisper echoes through the room.

You glare at her. "I should seriously kick your skinny white ass out of here."

"Max..." She whimpers.

"The only thing that is truly saving you is Chestnut." You fold your arms tightly across your ample chest. "He always has a home with me. But I know he would deeply miss you if I kicked you out."

Caroline bows her head. "I would miss him just as deeply." Her face turned and her eyes met yours. "I would miss you even more."

You refuse to acknowledge the soft thump of your heartbeat. "Besides you all ready destroyed the living room wall."

Caroline let out a choked sob. "I'm sorry Max."

You walk over to the seated blonde. "You are my stray Caroline Channing." You rested your right hand on the top of her shaking head. "I'm _never_ turning you out into the cold and cruel world. Not until you can stand against it 100%."

You feel her shaky arms at your side. They move forward and then quickly back. "I'll _always_ be your strength." You quietly breathed out. Her head crashed against your stomach, and her arms wrap tightly around you.

 **Caroline's POV**

You felt her shaking against you. You feel her fighting against herself to shove you away. You desperately want to tighten your hold on you ... but you knew if you did you would lose her. You simply _rested_ against her. Although you couldn't stop your shaking body even to save your life.

Her warm hand shaky gently caresses your cheek. That is your breaking point. All the heartbreaking sobs bursts from your chest. Your arms tighten against her body.

She pulls you closer to her. She keeps you safe as you lose yourself. She was the only thing that was leading you back to safety from the void.

You become aware that you are laying length wise on her bed. She was right beside you. Her body was tangled against yours. You couldn't tell where you ended and she began. You wanted to remain like this forever. You never wanted to be apart from this essence of why you were alive.

 **Max's POV**

You felt her return to you. Your chest untightens. You don't recall having the idea idea that you both would be more comfortable laying down; but you managed to gently push Caroline backwards keeping her head still connected to your stomach. Her arms still around you as you managed to get her to lay length wise so you could keep her front against yours. She knew when to lift her head from your stomach to rest against the right side of your neck.

"I will _always_ have you." You breathed in her ear. You felt her silent sobs against you. From her mouth on your neck through her body which you were protecting with your own.

"Never leave me Max." She whimpers against you. Her body begins to shake even harder.

"I promise to _never_ leave you." You kiss her forehead and gently tighten your hold on her.

Her eyes opened and clearly met yours. "You are my home."

Your mouth opened. No sound came out. You felt it shut. You wanted to desperately to push her away from you. To run. Her frighten but trusting eyes keep you from your natural insists. She kept you rooted against her. Your limbs relaxed against hers.

 **Caroline's POV**

"I'm sorry for being so clingy." You rasp out. "I am just out of strength."

"You can use my strength." She spoke in a low voice. "I have enough to spare." She unconsciously nuzzled into you.

You buried into your soul. "I know you don't feel comfortable beeing close to another person, Max, especially this close." You couldn't go on.

Her chest rose as she breathed in deeply, and you felt as she ever slowly released the breathe. "You are the expectation Caroline."

You felt warmth fill your soul.

You feel her deeply sigh once more. "You may share my bed when you _truly_ need. But you have your own bed Caroline."

You felt like a little child whom parent was trying to get said child to sleep in their own room alone. You nuzzle in Max's neck. You fully knew that you were a very independent adult whom could sleep alone. You have been doing it for years. But in this moment you were like a frighten two year old desperate for her parent to protect her.

You felt her hand brush back some hair so it could touch your cheek.

"I understand Max." You sigh into her touch.

 **Max's POV**

You held her silently.

"Thank you." She whispers. Her hold on you tightens; then she releases. You silently watch as she slowly sits up.

She turns so her knee was resting against your side. "Someday I want to tell you about my dad." She sadly smiles. "About how it always was him and me against the world. How I lost my hero."

You wanted to wrap your arms around her, and never let go. You fought against it. You still needed to remain strong.

"I want to express how hurt I was when my mother left. How she never even goodbye when she abandoned me." A hardness entered her eyes as she thought of her mother.

"There's a special place in hell for mothers like that." You spat out. "Right beside my mother." You swallowed the bile.

Fear entered her eyes.

"I never meant to scare you." You reached up to lightly trace her jaw line.

"I need to feed Chestnut." She pulled away, and stood to her feet. "Perhaps we can take him for a ride later?"

You smile. "Whenever you two are ready."

She smiles and leaves the room,

 _Yep; she's permanent._


End file.
